Beechwood College in Sully has made it known that it is deeply concerned by the proposals to develop a holiday park on land situated between the college and Ty Hafan children’s hospice on Hayes Road.

Beechwood Colleges provides education for up to seventy-two students with autistic conditions, aged 16 to 25, who require very specialist support due to their unique combinations of clinical, physical, learning, sensory, social, and emotional needs.

The college believes having a peaceful and safe environment is vital both for the education and well-being of their students.

The college is clear that any escalation in people visiting the site, as well as the increased noise and traffic that would result from any such development, will make it much harder for them to provide the necessary therapeutic and safe environment that is essential to their students’ happiness and welfare.

Rachel Newman, Beechwood College Principal, stated: “Our concerns about the physical and emotional risks this development represents for our students cannot be understated.

“Calm and routine are essential for our students; noise and frenzied activities can be very distressing for them and cause them to become very unsettled, putting them at risk of harming themselves and the team that support them.

“Even the increased traffic will pose a considerable risk; our students often struggle to understand the concept of personal safety and busy roads are a particular danger.

“We are grateful for the support that the local community has already provided in opposing these proposals and we are hopeful that the planning authorities for the Vale of Glamorgan will recognize that this is not an appropriate development for this site”